THE COMPLETE ANGLER 323 



VIAT. Believe me, Sir, that you have ; and it looks 

 so well, I long to be at it. 



Pise. Fall to then ; now, Sir, what say you, am I 

 a tolerable cook or no ? 



VIAT. So good a one, that I did never eat so good 

 fish in my life. This fish is infinitely better than any 

 I ever tasted of the kind in my life ; 'tis quite another 

 thing than our trouts about London. 



Pise. You would say so, if that trout you eat of 

 were in right season : but pray eat of the grayling, 

 which upon my word, at this season, is by much the 

 better fish. 



VIAT. In earnest and so it is : and I have one request 

 to make to you, which is, that as you have taught me 

 to catch trout and grayling, you will now teach me 

 how to dress them as these are drest, which questionless 

 is of all other the best way. 



Pise. That I will, Sir, with all my heart, and am glad 

 you like them so well as to make that request, and they 

 are drest thus : 



Take your trout, wash, and dry him with a clean 

 napkin ; then open him, and having taken out his guts, 

 and all the blood, wipe him very clean within, but wash 

 him not, and give him three scotches with a knife to 

 the bone, on one side only. After which take a clean 

 kettle, and put in as much hard stale beer (but it must 

 not be dead), vinegar, and a little white wine and water 

 as will cover the fish you intend to boil ; then throw 

 into the liquor a good quantity of salt, the rind of a 

 lemon, a handful of sliced horseradish root, with a hand- 

 some light faggot of rosemary, thyme, and winter savory. 

 Then set your kettle upon a quick fire of wood : and 

 let your liquor boil up to the height before you put ia 

 your fish : and then, if there be many, put them in 

 one by one, that they may not so cool the liquor as ta, 

 make it fall. And whilst your fish is boiling, beat up the 



